Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli posted comments on social media that 'would clearly cause offence', an FA Regulatory Commission ruled in banning him for one game last week.
But the Commission noted that Balotelli had been "sincere" and "entirely honest" when he promptly removed the offensive image, which contained references to black and Jewish people.
Balotelli’s legal representatives claimed the striker had acted "out of sheer naivety" by posting an image, which he thought contained "a light-hearted anti-racist message".
His lawyer claimed Balotelli "deeply regretted posting the image" and had been "shocked" to find the image was offensive.
In a letter to the Commission, Balotelli said that he "had suffered from racism on a great number of occasions" and added the he is of Ghanaian heritage and that his maternal grandmother was Jewish and had escaped Nazi Germany.
Roger Burden, chairman of the regulatory commission and vice-president of the FA, ruled: "We noted that the image could, at first glance, be read as anti-racist. Indeed the heading was 'Don’t be racist!' However, on full reading of the image, it concluded with words… that would clearly cause offence and which correctly gave rise to the FA’s charge".
The Commission accepted Balotelli’s swift apology, after the image had appeared on his Instagram account for fewer than 10 minutes.
"We believed that Mr Balotelli’s submissions were sincere and entirely honest," noted Burden.
"We also noted his prompt withdrawal of the image, his cooperation with The FA enquiry and his apology through social media."
Balotelli was banned for one game, fined £25,000 and ordered to attend an educational course.
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